Hot Springs Hijinks
by HotaruGFC
Summary: Just a little more time spent at the hot springs after Yami convinces most of the guys to go a-peepin'. This will be a series of vignettes focusing on different characters rather than one continuous story. Ch 1: Yami focused, Ch 2: Asta/Yuno friendship focused, Ch3: Charlotte/Noelle trust building And humor because some of it might be funny? Complete for now. Might add more later.
1. Chapter 1

The water was perfect as he sat back, submerging everything but his head. He watched the majority of the other men scamper off to the earthen barrier separating them from the women. He wondered exactly what they would have done had that amazon of a women not followed her boss. He didn't know if any of the crimson lions were skilled with earth magic or not, or if Sissyleon would even care if the spring was co-ed or not. Yami decide it would probably be the latter, but that the other women would insist on some sort of separation. He was fairly certain the queen of thorns would have insisted anyway, and Noelle would probably pull that bullshit about being royalty. Sissyleon would probably have laughed and then relented and found some way to separate the groups.

Which was perfectly fine by him. Sometimes the stolen glances were made all the more sweet by the measures taken to prevent them.

He chuckled as the line of men made their way to the barrier in order to get a peek.

"Uh, Captain?"

The kid was looking at him in confusion. Honestly, it was the kid's normal state. Yami knew the kid wasn't brainless, but he certainly was dense at times.

"Aren't you...?"

The kid didn't want to even say it. He refused to even go look because of some silly crush he had on the woman who raised him. Yami inhaled deeply on his cigarette and shook his head.

"Sissyleon is going to eat them alive. I think I'll wait until she's occupied."

Yami could see the wheels turning in Asta's head as he worked through the statement. The noise the rest of the men were making near the barrier grew louder. Yami held up three fingers and then silently counted down to zero. When the last finger closed into a fist, screams could be heard from the other side of the barrier and Mereoleona's voice could be heard barking orders above all. She stormed over to the men's side of the pool, completely naked, her body dripping water as she yelled at them. She tried to call Yami out, but the Black Bull's captain was clear on the other side of the pool, as far from the barrier as he could possibly get. Still, she narrowed her eyes at him as she ordered her own squad out of the water for extra training.

"Man, I am so happy I'm not one of them." He muttered, his cigarette dangling from his lip. Asta stared dumbfounded at the retreating men and the curvaceous form of their captain. Yami chuckled at the blush he saw on both of the young men still with him. He figured neither of them had seen a naked woman before. He leaned against the rocky edge of the pool and flicked his cigarette into the distance before sidling over to the barrier. He glanced to the direction where the Lioness had herded her prey, deciding that she would not have been swayed by the arguments of the other women had that earth magic using amazon not been with them. Then he would have had no reason not to look. He lifted himself out of the water and scaled the barrier separating the two halves of the pool. The several women were all quite lovely, but he was only interested in one. As he scanned the water, he did not linger too long on any one until he saw her.

She looked like she had passed out. It was the second time in as many days he had seen her unconscious.

Her golden hair was still tightly coiled around her head, as it had been when they started the journey to this place. Everything else, however, was completely atypical. Her pale skin shone in the moonlight as she lay against the blackened rock. Her minion, the amazon, hovered over her, trying to rouse her. He envied the darker woman's hands as the touched her skin. He wished he could be the one to wake her. He could think of so many things to do to her.

He sighed. No, 'to her' wasn't right, he thought. He wanted her, but he also wanted her to want him. But he knew he would never get what he wanted, and there were so many reasons why.

"Why'd'ya have to go and fall for one like that, huh, Yami?" he muttered to himself.

He remembered the first time he saw her. They were both younger, she a newly minted knight, and he well, he was a little older. He was wearing Azure at the time, a member of the Deer squad, as the Bulls hadn't been established yet. They were on the battlefield, doing their duty to guard the kingdom. She was impressive in battle, cool and collected, the calmest soldier he had ever seen. He remembered being impressed by her magic and her determination to win, but he also remembered her always alone. When the fighting was over, and the army was camping for the night, he remembered her sitting by herself, separated even from the rest of her squad. He had heard she was a man-hater, but to him she looked more like she just didn't like people. But even that made him wonder as she looked more sad than hateful.

And he wondered why a woman with so much strength and beauty would be so sad. He wondered who had hurt her. He heard rumors that she was cursed, but no one knew the details so he didn't put much stock in them. Some of the other young men would try to get close to her, but she always snubbed them. And when anyone offered her help of any sort, she would turn her back on them too.

She had finally regained consciousness, though it looked now to him as if she had simply fallen asleep. The heat from the water had given her skin a healthy glow and her cheeks were pink, almost as pink as they had been the when she had passed out yesterday. He still wondered what the drinking contest between her and Vanessa had been about.

He sighed.

Vanessa was a problem. He had never meant for anything to happen between them, but since that one night when they were both drunk-Vanessa's natural state, but he rarely got that drunk, well, she had been more forward with her advances. He wasn't adverse to playing around, just not with his teammates, not with a subordinate. Would he fuck a tavern wench if she were into it? Sure. It's not like Charlotte would or could ever feel the same way for him, or that she would ever let herself succumb to such base physical desires even if she did. He wasn't about to punish himself waiting around for the ice queen to thaw. Besides, he had made very certain that no one knew how he felt about her. He could not allow himself to be put into a position where he would have to choose between her and his team. His duty was to his team.

He sighed as he stretched his chin out and rested it atop the barrier. Her minion had taken to bathing her now, but she was stiff, uncomfortable with the attention. He was pretty sure that her subordinate-was Sol her name? He couldn't remember-but he was pretty certain she was attracted to Charlotte. As he watched the tall dark skinned woman rubbing down her body, he felt a twinge of jealousy and a swell of desire. He was so focused on her that he nearly fell off of the wall when the Crimson Lioness blocked his view.

"And what are you doing?"

He raised his eyebrow and chewed his lip. He had been caught, in more ways than one.

"Nothing." He said eventually, knowing it was futile.

"See anything you like?"

He swallowed hard. He was scared of only a few things in the world, and he realized, looking into her fiery eyes, that being caught peeping by Mereoleona Vermillion was one of those things. He wasn't afraid of what she might do to him, but rather of what she might piece together.

He was right to be afraid.

"She's really quite beautiful."

He wanted to fight the blush that slightly colored his cheeks. He hoped she would assume it was from the heat. She didn't.

"Want some sake?" She held up a bottle with a wicked grin on her face. He wasn't certain getting drunk with her was a good idea, but damn, did he really want some sake. "Little Miss Rose over there wouldn't drink with me."

"She can't hold her liquor." He said as he took the offered cup.

"Not a surprise. She's too prim for her own good sometimes. The prime example of a pure lady."

He held up the cup in a toast to good health and slammed the warm fluid down his throat. It burned so differently from any other drink and warmed him to the core.

"Good stuff." He placed the cup on the ledge formed by the top of the barrier. He tilted his head in an effort to see around the fiery mane of his drinking partner as she refilled his cup.

"Na-uh." She said, placing the bottle onto the ledge. He picked up the bottle to refill her cup. "Not on my watch." She sipped the warm liquid. He shot the cup once more. He was not in the mood to savor the flavor of the sake, not when the object of his desire, his affection was so close, yet still so distant.

"Doesn't matter, this is as close as I'll ever get to her."

"Prim and proper probably wouldn't go for a quick tumble anyway."

"But you would."

"I'm not prim and proper." She slammed another cup back. "But not with you. I make it a point to never sleep with colleagues. Had my idiot baby brother not gotten himself smacked around though..." She ran her tongue along her lips. "Who knows?"

He poured her another cup and was about to pour one for himself when she snatched the bottle from his hands.

"You know better." She poured his cup.

"Right."


	2. Chapter 2

Asta watched as his captain swam silently across the water and hoisted himself up onto the ledge. He wondered what Captain Yami was looking at, or rather who he was looking at. He felt a little weird thinking that the captain might be seeing Noelle naked. He told himself it was because the captain was so much older, but something about that explanation didn't sit quite right with him. He couldn't figure out why though. As the captain stayed perched on the ledge, Asta grew bored of watching him. He wondered if maybe he should go peek, out of curiosity, but he didn't want to go alone.

"Hey, Yuno." He scooted over to his friend and rival. Yuno looked as cool and calm as ever. He was sunk down into the water until it was under his chin; his eyes were focused somewhere in the distance.

"Hey, are you sure you don't want to? I mean, aren't you curious?"

"About what? Seeing naked girls? Not especially. I mean I've seen all sorts of drawings and pictures, paintings, but a clod like you who doesn't read, well, I can see the draw."

"But that's not the real thing."

"No, no I'm fine right here."

Asta sat next to him in silence for a while, but he couldn't stop fidgeting. Yuno, however, barely seemed to move. Asta couldn't tell if he was staring at Captain Yami or off into space as he often did when he was thinking.

"Say, Yuno. What's Golden Dawn like?" Asta filled the void of silence between them.

"About the same as the Black Bulls, I would imagine."

"Did you have an initiation too?"

"What?"

"And do they call you things like Shrimpsta? Though I guess that wouldn't fit for you, but you know, a nickname of sorts? Noelle calls me Stupidsta a lot. It's kind of annoying."

"No. On second thought, I guess it's nothing like the Black Bulls."

"And does your captain go on and on about surpassing your limits?"

"No. In fact, I've only rarely seen the captain."

"Oh. Sounds dull."

"I get to read a lot, practice a lot. Go on missions."

"Have you made any friends there?"

Yuno looked at him, wondering if he had.

"Well, Mimosa and Klaus, I guess."

"Anyone else?"

"Not really. You know I don't like being around people much."

Asta smiled.

"True. If we weren't off doing something together, you were always alone, or helping out."

"Which is more that you can say."

"Hey! Who do you think took care of the younger ones when you were sitting up in the tree reading?"

Yuno smiled. He hadn't smiled so much since they had gotten their grimoires. Asta grinned at him before he turned serious once more.

"Do they treat you like crap?"

"Not Mimosa and Klaus, at least not anymore."

They sat in silence for a while before Asta felt the need to fill the void once more.

"Do you think the people will listen to him? To the Wizard King? I mean, about treating people as equal."

"I don't know."

They sat in silence once more for a long time. Asta thought about the time Sister Lily had told them about the different realms where people lived and how that affected their abilities to get ahead. He would end that system when he became Wizard King. He had told Sister Lily that he would, he had promised.

Thinking about the sister he loved dearly made him wonder what she would be doing if she were here. He blushed and sank further into the water as he thought about her. He wondered if she would forgive him if he did go take a peek.

"You're red." Yuno said, after a glance at him.

"What?"

"Your face is red." Asta looked at him but his gaze had returned to whatever it was he was looking at.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, trying to follow Yuno's gaze. Yuno looked back at him with his eyes wide.

"N,Nothing."

"Who's red now?" Asta chuckled, which made Yuno flush further. The usually cool-headed wind mage scooted his way to the edge of the large pool.

"I'm done here."

And like the flip of a switch, Yuno went from Asta's friend and brother to his rival once more.

"Yuno... Yuno, wait!"

Yuno dressed quickly and hurried away from the water. He wanted to be alone, but he could hear Asta's loud, obnoxious voice calling out to him. He knew Asta had been teasing. They had teased each other all the time when they were little. But they weren't little any more, and Yuno didn't know if he could answer Asta's questions. He didn't know if he could explain it to himself.

When he saw the Black Bulls captain hoist himself out of the water, Yuno didn't quite know what to expect. Sure, he knew the man was going to be a muscle head, like a bigger, grown up version of Asta. Yuno was used to Asta, even if it had been years since they had shared a bath together, something that Asta apparently felt he had to bring up at every opportunity. He was not prepared for the likes of the Black Bulls captain. The man was beautiful in a way Yuno could not describe. He could not stop looking at him. He was sure Asta wouldn't understand.

Yuno sat at the edge of the volcano, looking down the slope where the men from the Crimson Lions were hiking naked as penance for their peeping. Yuno was glad he hadn't gone, especially given the view that he got without sneaking a peak. He closed his eyes only to be assaulted by the memory of his body. Yuno didn't exactly feel a desire or attraction—he never really felt that sort of physical response to anyone. It was more of an overwhelming sense of awe-like he experienced the first time he had seen some of the great classical sculptures housed in the capital. The man was perfection itself, physically, at least.

By all other accounts, he was a complete mess.

But Yuno doubted he could explain it to Asta. He didn't know how without making himself seem like he had gone all moon-eyed. And he hadn't; he was certain of that.

Eventually, Asta caught up with him, having only dressed to his waist. Yuno sighed as his brother, his rival sat next to him, bare-chested to the warm night air. Asta, who had no magic. Asta, who tried and tried and never gave up. Asta, who had trained himself physically to make up for his faults in other areas. Yuno looked over at him and felt the same swell of awe he had when the Black Bulls captain stood up out of the water. Asta was beautiful too. Yuno knew how much work Asta had put in to form the muscles that bulged on his arms, shoulders and back. He had not been so defined the last time Yuno had seen him. Yuno hoped one day that an artist would capture Asta's physical perfection in marble.

Yuno smiled at the thought of one day seeing a giant white version of Asta gracing the capital or in a museum. He doubted, however, any sculptor would be able to capture the determination and perseverance that also made him up.

Asta turned grinning to him then. And Yuno, seeing his friend, brother, and rival so open and so free, realized how much he loved and missed the stupid little shorty sitting next to him. He felt himself catching the infectious smile. He missed the camaraderie they had shared as children, and he loved how much Asta cared, about everyone, no matter what. He looked back at the people at the bottom of the volcano and wondered if he had fallen in love with Asta, but he felt none of the desire so often associated with the phrase. He then wondered if there was something wrong with him for not feeling such desire ever, or for anyone.

"Man, am I glad I'm not one of those guys." Asta's voice pulled him out of his contemplation.

"You still wanted to peek."

Asta chuckled and rubbed the back of his head.

"I guess I did. You can't tell me you didn't."

Yuno thought about it. He had been so shocked by what he saw on his own side of the rocks he had not thought much about what might be on the other side. He wondered what visions of perfection could have been lurking there. He sighed.

"I don't know. Maybe? But not for the same reasons you wanted to."

"I just wanted to see if any of them could hold a candle to Sister Lily." Asta blushed again, kicking his heels against the rocky ledge.

"You've never seen Sister Lily naked."

"But a boy can imagine."

Yuno rolled his eyes.

* * *

A/N: In case it's not obvious, I'm operating under the assumption that Yuno is asexual here and is only just realizing it. This is how I'm interpreting the "I'm not that kind of character" bit he kept spewing.

Also, since the hot springs chapter was so short, I feel like there could have been a whole lot more going on during it and immediately after, which is where much of this story is coming from. So expect to see several short vignettes focusing on different characters rather than one continuous story.


	3. Chapter 3

The thought of Yami naked on the other side of the rock wall had Charlotte's imagination running wild. Coupled with the heat of the water, and a mere whiff of Mereoleona's sake, the thought made her shut down. She had tried, she really had, to keep her composure, to keep her cool, but nothing seemed to help when she thought about that man.

She woke to find Sol trying her best to cool her down, thinking it was the heat from the water which had done her in. But nothing the young woman did helped matters any. Her imagination was in overdrive and she couldn't do anything to stop it. Besides, she thought, it's not like he left much up to the imagination anyway. She felt warmth rush to her cheeks as she pictured him once again, dressed in his festival gear. She had no idea how any sane person could dress themselves like that and go out in public.

Like he qualifies as sane, she thought.

Still the thought of it made her heart race and her hands tremble.

"I'm fine, Sol." She waved off the younger woman as she sat up. "Just got a little dizzy is all." She slipped back into the water.

"Maybe you should take a break, Sis?"

"No, no. I'm fine." She could never explain what had really happened, not to Sol. She knew the younger woman liked her, was attracted to her. She didn't want to hurt the girl, but neither did she want to string her along. She had to admit it to herself. She only had eyes for a man she could never have. She sighed before dipping her head under the water. She wondered if the other woman, the one in his squad, was really his ideal. She had to know more about her, this Vanessa. At just the thought of her name, Charlotte felt the sickening stir of jealousy. She wondered how desperate she would sound if she started asking questions about her. Information gathering had never been her strong suit. She had far more skill on the battlefield than in the interrogation room. A woman's got to do what a woman's got to do, she told herself. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. She slid over to the only Black Bull on her side of the volcano.

"You're Nozel's little sister, right? Noelle, was it?" She asked the silver haired young woman. Noelle nodded her head. She seemed intimidated by the sudden interest. "I saw how the treated you at the award ceremony. I'm sorry your brothers and sister are such jerks."

"It's fine. I'm used to it by now."

"Still, it's not right for them to treat you the way they do."

Charlotte felt like a hypocrite. She knew her father and mother held a strong disgust with commoners and peasants, and anyone with weak magic. Growing up, she had developed the same dislike and had treated those beneath her like garbage. Of course, there were plenty of times when she had treated those who were technically her equal in status like they were beneath her, but she did so out of fear of the curse laid upon her as a child. As far as she knew, her parents and grandmother were the only ones who knew how and why the curse had been broken. When her mother and father found out who had stolen their daughter's heart, they had been none too pleased. For all intents and purposes, they disowned her. She had been allowed to keep her name, and she knew she would still have her inheritance as she was the only heir, but she no longer spoke to them. Everyone was happier now. At least she was happier. She didn't care how they were.

"Sometimes I think I deserve it." Noelle said softly.

"No one deserves to be treated like they are worthless." Charlotte smiled at the young woman. "Besides, I'm sure you did your fair share to help your squad rack in all the stars you earned."

Noelle grinned.

"My control has been getting better."

"Was that the problem? Why Nozel didn't want you on his team with the rest of your siblings?"

Charlotte had often wished for siblings to play with as a child. But seeing how the Silva siblings treated their own, she realized siblings can come with their own slew of problems.

"One of many, but yes." The young woman sighed and thought quietly for a moment. After her cousin's pep talk and encouragement, Noelle felt more open, more trusting. She had often longed for someone she could talk to, someone who would listen. Even her squad mates had not been able to fulfill her need. But for some reason, she felt the Blue Rose captain would not dismiss her outright. Something about the older woman told her she could open up.

"Sometimes it feels like my magical power is its own person, has its own will. Sometimes I feel like I'm a vessel for it, and nothing more. Sometimes it listens to me; sometimes it doesn't."

Charlotte considered Noelle for a long moment.

"Not everyone is born with the same ability to control magic, just as people are born with different affinities or power. Sometimes it's easy to lose control. Too easy."

"You say that like you have experience with it." The younger girl looked at her with wide hopeful eyes. Charlotte smiled.

"Well, yeah. I lost control of my power once. I almost destroyed an entire town before I was stopped."

"What happened? Why did you lose control?"

"My family had been cursed. My parents never told me why we had been cursed, only that the curse would trigger when I turned eighteen."

"A curse?"

"Yes. The curse would trigger a cage of time that would trap the entire town. We were to be stuck in that moment for all eternity, unless someone could dispel the curse."

"So then what happened?" Noelle leaned slightly forward, eager to hear the tale.

"I've... I haven't talked about this in so long." Charlotte muttered before launching into the story. "I had just finished a mission and had been given leave time to go home and visit my family for my birthday. There was a lull in the fighting with the Diamond Kingdom, so we Magic Knights were doing smaller missions after over a year of large scale battles. So we were on a sort of rotation with the missions, and I was able to extend my stay with my family. I was so happy to get to see them. I hadn't been able to spend much time with them since I had joined the Magic Knights two or so years earlier. My parents had planned a huge party, confident I had been able to beat the curse. After all, I was living up to everything they had dreamed would be possible for me, and then some."

"Go on." Noelle leaned forward with interest, and Charlotte noticed she had attracted the attention of some of the other women in the spring. She glanced around and noticed Sol harassing another young woman. She sighed in relief, grateful her subordinate was not around to hear her deepest secret.

"As soon as I set foot in the town square, BAM! Briars start to explode from the ground." She gesticulated like mad, adding effect to the story. "They surround me, stretching me horizontal and binding my hands and feet. I can't reach my grimoire, I can't move, I can barely speak from the pain of them cutting into me. I can still turn my head and I see them reaching out, further and further. Snaking down the streets, catching other people, breaking windows and toppling structures. I started to feel time slowing down. I try to call out to them, to command them to stop, but I can't. Like you said, it was like the power had a mind of its own. I can hear screams, terrified screams echoing down the streets as my briars pack the area and blot out the sky."

"So how did it stop? How did you regain control?"

"I couldn't get it to stop. Someone had to break the curse."

"Who? How?"

Charlotte took a deep breath, wondering just how much she should tell this eager young woman.

"The way to dispel the curse was to have my heart stolen."

"What? Not literally."

Charlotte laughed.

"No, not literally, of course. I had to fall in love, unexpectedly." She leaned close to the young royal, her voice a whisper. "Now you can't tell anyone, but right as all of this was happening, a young man came along and I did just that."

"Who was it?"

Charlotte blushed.

"Now that is a secret."

The younger girl seemed a little sad, though Charlotte could not tell if it was because she didn't get to find out the name of the curse breaker or if it was something else.

"I don't think that will work for me. I'm not cursed." Noelle said. "Though sometimes it feels like I am."

"It was terrifying." She admitted.

"What?"

"When I lost control. It was terrifying for me. Knowing all those people would be trapped, and it would be my fault. If it had just been me, I guess I wouldn't have been so scared, but to know I wasn't strong enough to protect them? It was the scariest moment of my life. It's a feeling I hope to never repeat."

Noelle was quiet for a moment, though Charlotte could feel the girl's eyes on her as she contemplated what was said.

"When I, when I lost control, really lost control, it terrified me too. I've never had control to begin with, not really, but it was... it was like nothing I had ever experienced. I thought I was going to die." Noelle's voice grew quiet. "I thought I deserved to die. That my siblings were right."

The girl waved her hands through the water, scooping it up in them and letting it drain away between the fingers.

"Asta saved me." Noelle's voice was tiny, small.

Charlotte watched as Noelle's cheeks colored suddenly. The look on the young woman's face reminded her of how she felt the day Yami cut through the thorns and told her she should trust others a little more."

"Noelle, do you like Asta?"

"What? No. How could I like someone like him? He's crude, idiotic, reckless, muscle-brained, and a commoner!"

Charlotte sighed and closed her eyes. Every argument coming out of Noelle's mouth were arguments she had told herself over and over whenever she thought of Yami.

"But he also has the biggest heart you've ever seen, doesn't he?"

Noelle stopped spewing the reasons she shouldn't like Asta and looked at the older woman. Charlotte had a small smile on her face.

"Yeah, I guess. He always talks about protecting people. Protecting everyone. He thinks it's his job."

"Isn't it? As Magic Knights are we not tasked with doing so?"

"I, I guess. He's just so serious about it all the time. He's, he's made me serious about it too." The color returned to Noelle's cheeks as she sunk further into the water. "I, I guess I do. Ugh! How can I like him?" she cried out in exasperation. The conversation she had with Kahono rushed back to her and now made perfect sense through this new lens.

Charlotte chuckled, wondering how many times she had asked herself the same thing.

"How did you know?' Noelle asked at last. "That I liked Asta? How did you know when I didn't know myself?"

Charlotte smiled.

"Well. You remind me a lot of myself, and Asta... I see a lot of the one who stole my heart in him. I didn't know for sure, but if history is any indication, I figured there was a chance."

"So, um." Noelle shifted in the water, making it ripple around her. "Who was it?"

"I told you, that's a secret."

Charlotte had sworn she would carry that secret to the grave, but looking in the earnest eyes of the young woman who was just starting to get her footing made her itch to throw away her vow. She quickly changed the subject.

"How have you been fitting in with the Black Bulls? I imagine it was difficult at first?"

"I kept wondering if I should really be there, but it wasn't their fault. I, I was the one making it difficult. I kept looking down on them when they were all just trying to help me." She smiled. "But it feels more real now, more like a family than my own family."

Charlotte nodded her head.

"I understand."

"You do?"

"My parents have some very strong opinions about those they considered beneath them. I'm not proud to say it, but for a long time I also held those beliefs."

"Did joining the Magic Knights change them?"

Charlotte chewed on her lip.

"Somewhat. But I was so intent on breaking the curse myself I, well, I closed myself off, shut everyone out-noble and commoner alike. But the man who broke the curse, he... he opened my eyes."

"You keep bringing him up. I'm dying to know who it is."

Charlotte took a deep breath. She wanted to tell her, she wanted someone else to know. She felt her insides were going to explode with the knowledge, and had felt that way for years whenever she thought about him.

"I'm glad that you've found a good place for you, Noelle."

"They aren't all bad. They're weird, but not bad people. Even if half of them are commoners."

"Tell me about them. We captains don't often get a chance to learn about those on other squads, and given the sudden jump in status, I'm curious about how and why. What's the formula? Or is it just luck?"

* * *

A/N: So this sort of went off the rails of what I had initially meant it to be. But I think both Noelle and Charlotte needed someone to confide in a bit. And they have some parallels to their stories which I wanted to explore I guess. Needed to build some trust between the two before Charlotte could get the info on Vanessa.


	4. Chapter 4

Not long after finishing the bottle of Sake, Mereoleona called for everyone to vacate the spring and begin the long journey down the volcano. Dawn was approaching when they reached the bottom, and even the crimson lioness had to admit exhaustion. Yami had tried to suggest they rest once they reached the bottom, but the fiery Vermillion refused to hear him until Charlotte too started complaining.

"The young ones are falling asleep on their feet." She said, glancing back at Noelle specifically.

"Then they need to break through their limits."

"Isn't that my line?" Yami muttered, cigarette dangling from his lip. He caught it before it fell. "Besides, Sissyleon, wouldn't they stand a better chance at tackling whatever crazy stunt you've planned for next after they've rested a bit? Most of them are running low on mana in addition to basic physical exhaustion." He had started out the journey down mildly tipsy, but now they were at the bottom, he had completely sobered up. "Unless you've got someone who can use spatial magic down there and we can all go home."

"No can do on the return trip, but I guess a little rest wouldn't hurt." She admitted.

"You must be tired too. You didn't even threaten me for calling you Sissyleon."

Mereoleona glared at him.

"We can't stay in the wild mana field though. We'll have to get outside it."

Charlotte looked back at the line of knights, young and old stretched out behind them. She hadn't felt this tired since the first time she had marched out with the army when she was barely older then the kids struggling to keep up. Noelle and Asta were having to practically carry each other out of the field, and even the genius young wind mage seemed to be wavering. She glanced over at Yami who kept rubbing his forehead every few minutes. He didn't seem tired, or not nearly as tired as she felt, until she looked up and saw him fighting to keep his eyes open as well.

As tired as she was, she didn't see the rock jump up out of nowhere to trip her. She didn't have the energy to stop her fall. She resigned herself to hitting the ground.

Until she didn't.

"I've got you." A deep voice said near her ear. It made her toes curl and her heart race as she turned to the sound. Yami was so close she was certain he could feel the pounding of her heart. His arm was wrapped around her waist, pulling her close to him as he helped her straighten up and regain her footing. "You alright?"

She was breathless as she looked at him.

"Yeah, I, uh, I just tripped."

"The heat's making me a little dizzy." He rubbed his forehead again.

She knew he had quick reflexes from seeing him fight, but having him catch her so easily while being dizzy made her wonder how quick they really were. He started walking again, and she followed a few paces after. She was dizzy too, she realized as she scanned the ground for any other stray rock and roots. Though she was not sure if it was the heat or his touch that had caused it. She blushed and she couldn't help it. Not now, not when she was so tired.

When Mereoleona called for them to stop, most of the group collapsed gratefully to the ground. Outside the wild magic field, the air was cooler, more humid, and the ground was damp. It felt good against her back as she laid against the grass and looked up at the fading stars in the sky above. She closed her eyes. She was drained, of energy, of mana, and frankly of her will to do anything except sleep.

"I'll take first watch." His deep voice announced. She turned her head toward the voice as he settled down with his back against a tree. How he was still conscious, she didn't know. She sighed.

"I'll take second." She heard herself say. The burden of watch and guarding the group fell to the captains after draining the junior knights so completely. She heard Mereoleona agree to third watch before she passed out.

* * *

Yami watched the contingent sleep and felt his own eyelids growing heavy as he watched the sky turn from gray to pink as the crept over the horizon. He thought he would just close his eyes for a moment when a sound made his eyelids snap open. When he turned to find the cause, he saw her coming his way.

"You aren't supposed to relieve me for another hour or so." He shifted away from her as she sat next to him. He did his best to keep his eyes focused everywhere and anywhere except her. He felt his face go red and hoped it was still too dark for her to see. He felt like he was a kid again, sitting next to her and he didn't know why he could watch her bathing from a distance, but close up be so nervous. He did his best to hide it, of course, behind his trademark snark and sarcasm.

"I couldn't sleep. It's too hot." Her head thunked against the tree trunk they shared. Despite their distance from the wild mana zone, the residual heat from the volcano kept the air warmer than expected.

He hazarded a look at her. Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly parted as she breathed. He caught her yawning, and echoed the action.

"Stop that." He said through a second yawn. She chuckled, smiling a sleepy smile. Her eyes were still closed in the pinkish light before the sun broke over the surrounding hills.

"Sorry."

He yawned a third time. He forced his eyes open so he could see her so unguarded. He had only seen her so open once, at most twice, before.

"She used us, you know. Mereoleona." She said, her eyes still closed.

"Yep. I can never tell if that woman is a genius or just crazy."

"A little of both, I wager."

"You're probably right."

He watched her profile as the first rays of light struck her skin. He wanted to kiss her. He wondered what she would do to him if he tried.

"You should get some rest." She turned toward him, catching him staring. He swallowed hard before nodding. He leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes. His mind was foggy with exhaustion, but sleep would not come. He couldn't get comfortable and his head throbbed with the growing light.

"Lay down." She suggested. He sighed and tried to stretch out, pillowing his head on his arm. He heard her sigh as he still tossed and turned.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" She looked out at the sleeping knights all sprawled in various ways across the ground.

"Since?' He looked up at her.

"Since we marched off to battle, since we shared a campsite like this. Things have been so quiet, until recently. I mean, ten years ago it felt like we were handling major offensives by the Diamond and Spade Kingdom every other week."

He yawned.

"It has been a while since I had to sleep on the ground." He shifted around again. "I forgot how hard it can be."

She chuckled. And then she sighed. She looked out at them once more, worry lining her face. He looked up at her as she watched the group at large.

"This isn't like those times, is it?" She asked quietly after a long silent moment.

"Nope."

"Do you think we got him?"

"What do you mean?"

"The traitor. Do you think Gueldre was working alone?"

He sighed and sat up, propping his elbow on his knee to support his head.

"Marx's magic showed he was, didn't it?"

"It did." She looked at him. "But something still feels, I don't know, off. As much as I hate to admit it, you've always had good instincts."

He chuckled.

"Rare praise from the Queen of Thorns? What is the world coming to." He jibbed as he sat up fully once more.

She groaned and shook her head.

"But no." He scratched at his face. "I agree. There's something we're missing."

"You have an idea, don't you?"

"My gut tells me one thing, but all the evidence says otherwise."

"So what does your gut tell you?"

"Something's up with William." He leaned his head against the tree trunk once more and closed his eyes.

"Mine too." He heard her whisper as his exhaustion finally overcame him.

Charlotte waited for some other confirmation of her uneasiness with the growing threat, but when she looked over, Yami had passed out. His head had lolled to one side and his breathing had slowed. She realized they had just had their longest ever conversation and she hadn't panicked or froze because of his mere presence. She watched him sleeping, seeing the lines on his face relax, making him seem far younger than he was. It reminded her of when he had broken the curse, what seemed like a lifetime ago now.

She yawned. It was still a few hours before Mereoleona was to relieve her, and then a few hours more before they would head back to civilization. She knew she would have to stay awake, but she found it difficult to resist the steady rhythm of his soft breathing.

* * *

Mereoleona stood and stretched, feeling refreshed and ready to march everyone back to civilization. The mid-morning sun was shining through the tree cover as she looked around at her squad and the few others she had 'recruited' for the special training mission. Most of them were still snoring away, though a few were beginning to stir-notably the magic-less whelp from the Black Bulls and the Blue Rose amazon who had tagged along. She looked around for the other two captains she had dragged along in her path. She found them asleep against a tree. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed how they leaned against each other and how their arms seemed interlocked. She smiled.

"Maybe I shouldn't have interrupted his looking after all." she muttered to herself.


End file.
